Is it 2014 yet? In some corners of the NBA, that’s the question already, and if your team is one of those expected to have a rough road ahead, then take some comfort in the knowledge that the NCAA season kicks off in earnest this weekend.

That’s because the college ranks will be bustling with top-tier prospects, moreso than at any time in recent memory. It starts at the top, where Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the No. 1 pick, but keep in mind what one personnel director told SN: “There are at least four, maybe five guys in this draft who could be No. 1 picks in other drafts. If you’re in the Top 5, you’re getting a No. 1-type of player.”

With due respect to international prospects (like Australia’s Dante Exum and Croatia’s Dario Saric, both of whom could be Top 10 picks), we will start by focusing on college players, in honor of the opening of the season. Here is how the Top 14 would shake out:

What the NBA is looking for: Wiggins is coming in with a heap of hype, of course, and the comparisons to guys like LeBron James and Kevin Durant really aren’t fair. He is less of a scorer than those guys were at his age, and more of a versatile player who can handle the ball, pass and defend. Still, scouts will be looking for Wiggin to put his mark on every game he plays, and though they’re not expecting 20 points per night, he should be in the 15-plus range, while contributing elsewhere and keeping the Jayhawks near the top of the rankings.

(Charlie Riedel/AP)

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2. Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State.

What the NBA is looking for: Many felt that Smart could have been the No. 1 overall selection last year if the lottery had played out right, and his decision to return to the Cowboys was a shocker. Smart has established himself as a James Harden-type, do-everything combo guard, but his glaring weakness last year was his shooting—he made just 40.4 percent from the floor and 29.0 percent from the 3-point line.

(Sue Ogrocki/AP)

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3. Jabari Parker, SF, Duke.

What the NBA is looking for: Parker is impressive because, at 6-7 and with tremendous athleticism, he has also developed a post-up game, which is usually years away for players his age. But Parker boasts a high IQ for the game, and though he is a scorer first and foremost, he is also very refined. One big questions remains his Mormon mission—he is going to college this year rather than serving his mission, and no one is quite sure when or if he plans to take a year off in the future.

(Karl B DeBlaker/AP)

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4. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky.

What the NBA is looking for: Maybe another inch or two of growth, if possible. Young is ideally a power forward, but at 6-9 and without exceptional length, there are questions about his size. But if he can make up for that with his athleticism and offensive instincts, his place in the Top 5 will be secure. Showing that he can handle bigger post players on the defensive end would be a bonus.

(James Crisp/AP)

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5. James Young, SG, Kentucky.

What the NBA is looking for: Young has NBA-ready shooting range, and that will be enough to garner attention throughout the year. But what he has been showing more and more is a willingness to put the ball on the floor, fight through contact and get to the rim. Young has a good combination of speed and strength and if he learns to balance those against his shooting ability, he is going to keep sliding higher on draft boards.

(James Crisp/AP)

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6. Aaron Gordon, SF/PF, Arizona.

What the NBA is looking for: Gordon is in that tough tweener category, a very athletic player at 6-8, but one who looks a little like a power foward and a little like a small forward. That might not kill his value, of course—Anthony Bennett went No. 1 last year, and Derrick Williams was No. 2 in 2011, with both guys sporting much the same body type as Gordon. But Gordon could solidify his status as a Top 10 pick by showing that he can play on the perimeter as a freshman this year.

(Arizona Athletics)

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7. Joel Embiid, C, Kansas.

What the NBA is looking for: Scouts would be happy to see Embiid, a native of Cameroon who is still learning the game, come in and have an immediate impact defensively, giving him a base of skills from which to work. If he can, over the course of the season, show some confidence in his offensive post play, he could move into the Top 5. He is raw, though, and Kansas has plenty of firepower. Playing defense and showing glimpses of offensive progress will go a long way for Embiid’s draft stock.

(Charlie Riedel/AP)

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8. Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State.

What the NBA is looking for: Consistency, mostly. Harris established himself as an excellent perimeter scorer last year, to the point where he might have been a lottery pick had he declared for the draft—he shot 41.1 percent from the 3-point line, taking nearly half his field-goal attempts from the arc. But he is back in East Lansing this year, and if he can avoid some of the ups and downs that affected him last year, while also adding some variety to his game, he will be a Top 10 pick.

(Al Goldis/AP)

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9. Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan.

What the NBA is looking for: Now that Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. are gone, scouts want to see a more assertive, confident and polished Robinson. He was content with playing third fiddle to those two last year, but he has plenty of talent and will be expected to top (significantly) the 11.0 points per game he averaged. At 6-6, Robinson would probably have to play some shooting guard in the NBA, and he needs to boost his 32.4-percent success rate from the arc, too.

(Paul Sancya/AP)

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10. Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky.

What the NBA is looking for: Cauley-Stein established himself as a solid defensive big man, especially after Nerlens Noel went out last year. But he was still lost on the offensive end, and now that he has a year under his belt, he needs to show some progress. Also at issue: free-throw shooting. He made just 37.2 percent at the line last season.

(James Crisp/AP)

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11. Andrew Harrison, PG, Kentucky.

What the NBA is looking for: Harrison is 6-5 with good ballhandling skills, but he is lacking in top-flight footspeed and quickness—he is good at getting into the lane and to the rim, but how much of a point guard is he, really? That is what scouts want to know. He brings to mind two guards who were also coached by John Calipari: Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans. If he looks more like Rose, his stock will shoot up. If he is more like Evans, he will be a late-lottery guy.

(Kentucky)

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12. Mitch McGary, PF, Michigan.

What the NBA is looking for: The league is on fluke alert when it comes to McGary, a high-motor big man who caught fire on the big stage. Because the draft was lacking in big men last year, there was a chance McGary could have gone in the lottery based solely on his performance in the NCAA tournament, when he averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds. Given that he had averaged only 6.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over the first 33 games of the year, scouts naturally have questions.

(Charlie Neibergall/AP)

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13. Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor.

What the NBA is looking for: Austin probably did the right thing in coming back for his sophomore year, because he has a lot to show. He is a legitimate 7-1, but he is thin and needs to show he has the toughness and durability to withstand an NBA season. He managed 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds as a freshman, and he should be able to build on that.

(Eric Gay/AP)

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14. Wayne Selden, SG, Kansas.

What the NBA is looking for: Selden has the size and athleticism scouts want in a 2-guard, but he needs to show he can put it all together. He can be inconsistent with his shooting, but he will need to show 3-point range, and playing alongside Andrew Wiggins should offer open opportunities.